Spacer for packages



Sept. 22, 1959 G. w. DOLL SPACER FOR PACKAGES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1957 Gregory W. Doll IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 22, 1959 G. w. DOLL SPACER FOR PACKAGES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. '7, 1957 II III/l I 11 I Gregory W. 00// INVENTOR.

BY MKS/a ga United States Patent SPACER FOR PACKAGES Gregory W. Doll, High Point, NC.

Application January 7, 1957, Serial No. 632,775

3 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in packaging devices, and more specifically to an improved spacer for positioning articles in packages.

Ordinarily when an article is disposed in a box for shipment, in order to prevent the damaging of the article, it is necessary that packing material be disposed between the article and the interior wall of the box or other package in which it is placed. At the present time it is common to use spacing material such as newspapers, straw and the like. However, while these materials in certain instances are satisfactory, they are not crush proof and as a result it is possible for the article within the container to shift and to be damaged by a pressure on the exterior of the container. It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a spacer which is relatively rigid and at the same time pliable, the spacer being intended to be placed entirely about an article to be packaged whereby the article is suspended within the package during shipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved spacer for packages, the spacer being formed of a simple blank which is folded to provide accordion pleats disposed at right angles to each other, the accordion pleats being disposed out of phase with respect to each other so as to retain the two sets of accordion pleats in the desired angular relationship whereby a single spacer may be used in supporting an article along two planes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved spacer for packages, the spacer being generally L-shaped in end elevation and being formed of accordion pleats whereby it may be flattened out for shipment and storage and expanded as is necessary to properly support an article within a container.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved spacer for packages, the spacer including first and second portions disposed at right angles to each other, each of the portions being formed of accordion pleats with the accordion pleats of one portion being disposed outerface with the accordion pleat of the other section whereby the sections themselves hold each other in the desired relation, there being provided a relatively wide strip between adjacent pleats whereby the contact surface between the spacer and an article to be packaged is increased to prevent scoring thereof.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the ac- "ice 2 companying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package including a container and an article being packaged, the container having the top thereof open and showing the relationship of spacers disposed therein with respect to the article and the container;

Figure 2, is an enlarged perspective view of one of the spacers and shows the specific construction thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the spacer of Figure 2 and shows it in an intermediate stage of tolde;

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the blank from which the spacer of Figures 2 and 3 is formed;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken through the package of Figure l substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 and shows the specific relationship between the spacer, the article being packed and the container;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified form of spacer and shows the general details thereof; and

Figure 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the spacer of Figure 6 is formed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in Figures 1 and 5 a package which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The package 10 includes a container 12 and an article 14 which is to be shipped within a container 12. In order that the article 14 may be disposed in the container 12 in spaced relation relative to all walls of the container 12, there is provided a plurality of spacers which are the subject of this invention, the individual spacers being referred to in general by the reference numeral 16. It is to be noted that while only four such spacers 16 have been illustrated in Figure 1, four other spacers 16 will be similarly positioned relative to the bottom part of the article 14.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 in particular, it will be seen that the spacer 16 includes a first portion 18 and a second portion 20. The portions 13 and 20 are each in the form of accordion pleats with the portions 18 and 20 being disposed at generally right angles to each other and the individual pleats thereof being disposed out of phase. The accordion pleats of each of the portions 18 and 20 are such that there is provided a first series of contact surfaces 22 which are disposed in a plane which is parallel to the general plane of the individual ones of the portions 18 and 20. The contact surfaces 22 are in the form of spaced parallel contact surfaces which extend transversely of the length of the spacer 16 and which provide line type contacts.

Each of the portions 18 and 20 also provide inner or lower contact surfaces 24 which lie in a plane parallel to the plane of the contact surfaces 22 and which are spaced therefrom in a direction normal to the general plane of the individual ones of the portions 18 and 20. The contact surfaces 24, like the contact surfaces 22 are in the form of line contact surfaces with the lines being disposed in spaced parallel relation and extending transversely to the general length of the spacer 16. The line contact surfaces 24 are staggered relative to the line contact surfaces 22 due to the accordion pleat arrangement of the portions 18 and 20.

It is to be noted that the accordion pleats of the portions 18 and 20 being out of phase, the portions 18 and 20 are connected together along a Zig-zag line 26. Because of the particular relationship between the portions 18 and 20, they themselves retain the portions 18 and 20 in the right angular relationship required. It is also pointed out that the spacers 16 may be compressed so as to occupy a very small space when not being used. On the other hand, once an initial blank has been formed the blank may be shipped and the spacers 16 formed from such blank when needed.

Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated the blank for forming the spacers 16, the blank being referred to in general by the reference numeral 30. The blank 30 is in the form of an elongated rectangular sheet 32 and is preferably formed of an inexpensive paper product. The sheet 32 is divided into halves 34 and 36 by the zig-zag line 26. The half 34- corresponds to the portion 18 whereas the half 36 corresponds to the portion 20. The half 34 is provided with fold lines 38 which are disposed normal to the longitudinal axis of the sheet 32 and which intersect the zigzag line 26 at apices thereof. The fold lines 38 are in spaced parallel relation. The half 36 is provided with fold lines 40 which are identical with the fold lines 38. In fact, the fold lines 40 are continuations of the fold lines 38 although the sheet 32 is intended to be folded along the fold lines 40 in a direction opposite from the folding thereof along the fold lines 38. The blank 30 may be shipped as illustrated in Figure 4 so as to occupy a minimum of space. The blank 30 has the fold lines 26,

38 and 40 properly formed thereon, when it is desired to use the spacer 16, it may be readily formed from the blank 30.

Referring now to Figure 6 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a modified form of spacer which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 42. Like the spacer 16, the spacer 42 includes a first portion 44 and a second portion 46. The portions 44 and 46 are disposed in right angular relationship and each is in the form of a slightly modified accordion pleat. The portion 46 includes sloping wall surfaces 48 which are connected together along one edge thereof by an elongated, relatively narrow outer contact surface 50. The opposite edges of the surfaces 48 are connected together by elongated, relatively narrow inner contact surfaces 52. The contact surfaces 50 all lie in a common plane which is disposed in spaced parallel relation to a plane in which all of the contact surfaces 52 lie. The planes of the contact surfaces 50 and 52 are disposed generally parallel to the plane of the portion 46 with the individual contact surfaces 50 and 52 extending normal to the longitudinal axis of the portion 46. It is to be noted that the contact surfaces 50 are disposed at a phase with respect to the contact surfaces 52.

The portion 44 is formed similar to the portion 46 and includes wall surfaces 54 which are disposed in angular relation. The individual wall surfaces 54 are connected together along one edge thereof by elongated, relatively narrow contact surfaces 56 and along opposite edges thereof by similar elongated, relatively narrow contact surfaces 58. The contact surfaces 58 are disposed innermost whereas the contact surfaces 56 are disposed outermost. The contact surfaces 56 and 58 lie in spaced parallel planes, the planes being disposed parallel to the general plane of the portion 44 and the individual contact surfaces 56 and 58 being disposed normal thereto.

It is to be noted that the contact surfaces 50 are disposed out of phase with the contact surfaces 56 and that the contact surfaces 52 are disposed out of phase with the contact surfaces 58. On the other hand, the contact surfaces 50 lie in common vertical planes with the contact surfaces 58 whereas the contact surfaces 52 lie 4 in common planes with the contact surfaces 56. The portions 44 and 46 are connected along a zig-zag line 60 which has relatively wide apices.

Referring now to Figure 7 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a blank 62 from which the spacer 42 is formed. The blank 62 is formed of an elongated rectangular sheet 64, the sheet 64 being preferably formed of a paper product or the like. The sheet 64 is provided into halves 66 and 68 by the zig-zag line 60. The half 66 is provided with spaced pairs of fold lines 70 and 72 so as to form the surfaces 54, 56 and 58. The fold lines 70 are relatively short as compared to the fold lines 72 and define the contact surfaces 56 whereas the fold lines 72 define the contact surfaces 58. It is to be noted that the fold lines 70 and 72 intersect the zig-zag line 60 generally at the apices thereof.

The half 68 is provided with spaced parallel pairs of fold lines 74 and 76. The fold lines 74 define the inner contact surfaces 52 whereas the fold lines 76, which are shorter than the fold lines 74, define the outer contact surfaces 50. It is to be noted that the fold lines 74 are continuations of the fold lines 70 whereas the fold lines 76 are continuations of the fold lines 72. However, the sheet 64 is to be bent or folded in opposite directions along the fold lines 74 and 76 from the direction of fo1d ing along fold lines 70 and 72.

The blank 62, like the blank 30 may be shipped in a flat state once the fold lines 70, 72, 74 and 76 has been properly impressed thereupon and may be readily folded to the shape shown in Figure 6 when the spacer 42 is to be used. Thus a minimum space is required in the storage of the spacers 42 before their use.

It is to be noted that the spacers 42 differ from. the spacers 16 only in that the contact surfaces of the spacer 42 are wider than the contact surfaces of the spacer 16. In most instances the spacer 16 Will suflice. However, when articles which may be scratched or otherwise damaged are being shipped and a larger amount of contact surface is required, then the spacer 42 will be used.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a package of the type including a container having walls, a bottom and a top, an article disposed within the container and generally conforming to the shape of the container but smaller in all dimensions so as to provide a space between the outer surface of the article and the inner surface of the container, spacers disposed within the container and engaging the article to retain the article in supported spaced relation to the container, and wherein the improvement resides in the construction of the spacers; each of the spacers comprising a single sheet of material, said sheet including first and second portions, said first portion being connected to said second portion in angular relation, each of said first and second portions being alternately folded to present two series of spaced parallel fiat contact surfaces of a definite width, contact surfaces of each series lying in a plane parallel to the general plane of the respective one of said first and second portions, the planes of the two series of each of said portions being parallel and spaced apart in a direction normal to said general plane.

2. A spacer for packages and the like, said spacer comprising a single sheet of papery material, said sheet including first and second portions, said first portion being connected to said second portion in angular relation, each of said first and second portions being alternately folded to present two series of spaced parallel fiat contact surfaces of a definite width, contact surfaces of each series lying in a plane parallel to the general plane of the respective one of said first and second portions, the planes of the two series of each of said portions being parallel and spaced apart in a direction normal to said general plane.

3. A spacer for packages and the like, said spacer comprising a single sheet of material, said sheet including first and second portions, said first portion being connected to said second portion in angular relation, each of said first and second portions being alternately folded to present two series of spaced parallel fiat contact surfaces of a definite width, contact surfaces of each series lying in a plane parallel to the general plane of the respective one of said first and second portions, the planes of the two series of each of said portions being parallel and spaced apart in a direction normal to said general plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS France Mar. 11, 1925 Sweden Mar. 30, 1943 

